Ranchi, March 28: The Littipara bypoll promises to be a bahu versus bahu battle after all, with the first wife of deceased Littipara MLA of JMM Anil Murmu joining the BJP and the second one her husband's party for campaigning before the April 9 elections.
While Uniki Eudora Hansda is campaigning for BJP candidate Hemlal Murmu, Nisha Shabnam Hansda is doing the same for arch-rival JMM's Simon Marandi.
Denied tickets by biggies BJP and JMM and deprived of the chance to contest as Independents due to technical errors, each is trying to be the crucial face who sways votes in the crucial tribal heartland seat that the JMM has never lost and BJP is trying to win.
Uniki, who became a BJP member on Saturday, today campaigned in Jamkunder, Talghati, Nipaniya, Matikander, Jordiha and other tolas in Amrapara area, state unit BJP spokesman Pravin Prabhakar said. Knowing that her late JMM MLA husband is her sole political currency, Uniki started her speeches by praising her husband's work for Littipara but went on to accuse the JMM of "turning its face" after his death. The BJP alone can steer the area towards prosperity, she says.
"Her door-to-door campaigns are proving positive. From tomorrow, she will be with chief minister Raghubar Das in campaigns," party vice-president Deepak Prakash said.
It will be the biggest irony for JMM if their MLA's widow takes voters to arch-rival BJP. But, JMM is banking on Nisha, who joined the party formally yesterday. Nisha addressed meetings today in parts of Gopikander in Dumka and Littipara in Pakur in the presence of party's executive president Hemant Soren and leader Stephen Marandi.
"She reminds people that she always accompanied her husband and it was her responsibility to see that the work he began was progressing smoothly. She tells people they have never gone against the wishes of Guruji (JMM supremo Shibu Soren) and they shouldn't be misled this time," JMM central committee member Vinod Pandey said.
Both Uniki and Nisha had wanted the JMM's ticket, but not wanting to choose one over the other, the JMM fielded Simon. But, MLA Murmu's co-wives choosing rival camps for campaign does not surprise political watchers. Both women had made it clear there was no love lost between them.
The third angle in the triangular contest, JVM says it is the gainer in the Uniki-Nisha rivalry. "JMM and BJP are eating into each other's votes. Our nominee Kisto Soren is the real son of the soil and tribals only trust our party president Babulal Marandi," claimed JVM's Pakur district unit vice-president Vinod Sharma.
